Improvement in shoes



J. KNOWLTN.

SHOES.

Eatente 'an.18.1876.

No.. 1'7ZA53.

N.FETER5, PNOTO-LITHOGRAFHER. WASHINGTON, 0 C.

TNI'r/n TA'rns PATNT FFIo.

JOHN KNOWLTON, OF BOSTON, MASS., ASSIGNOR TO HIMSELF, SAMEL G.

i DAMON, AND ZEPHANIAH H. THOMAS, JR., OF SAME PLACE.

IMPROVEMENT IN SHOES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. [72,d53., dated January 18, 1876; application filed October 25, 1875.

To all whom z't may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN KNoWLtroN, of Boston, in the county of Suifolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improved Shoe, of which the following' is a specification:

This invention relates to a shoe of the class known as slippersfl Many thousand pairs of slippers are annually made from waste and other pieces of Brussels or pile carpet, cut into proper shape for vainps and quarters, the edges of the carpet about the ankle and the upper edge of the vamp over the instep being bound by a fibrous binding.

The slipper so made is objectionable in its construction, for, at the heel, the action of the foot in passing into the slipper soon tears the binding loose, unravels the edge of the carpet, and renders the slipper nearly worthless. The edge of the carpet is a raw edge, and the stitehes passing through the binding und raw edge usually catch below but two or three warp or weft threads ot' the carpet, not sufficient to hold the binding on the edge when subjected to strain.

The object' of this invention is to render a carpet slipper dural'le,vstronger, and more comfortable, and consists in adding an external re-enforce to the heel of the earpet slipper, to assist in stiffening the heel, and prevent the exposure of the raw edge of the carpet at the heel.

Figure 1 represents a slipper entire, and Fig. 2 a heel of a slipper provided with niy improvements.

The slipper has its vainp a and quarter b made of carpet or other coarse fabric, the quarter usually being in one piece, and extending entirely about the heel, and so far the slipper is old and common. Such slippers are usually bound With a fibrous binding, c, extending about the upper edge of the quarter, and stitched directly vto the carpet edge; but this soon tears out at the heel, leaving the raw edge ot' the carpet exposed and free to catch on the stocking when inserting the foot into the slipper, wearing out the stocking, and rendering the slipper-heel very unconifortable, and dii'licult to retain on the foot. To obviate these diificulties I place a re-enforoe, d, a piece of enamel cloth or thin leather, at the heel, lasting its lower edge in with the regular counter, securing it by the stitches that unite the sole with the counter, and the upper edge of the re-enforee extends up to, and preferably a little higher' than the top of the quarter, and in such position the binding c may be easily placed over the quarter and re-eniorce, and the stitehesl pass ing through the re-enforce hold the binding firinly at the heel and about the edge of the quarter, and the quarter at .the heel is stiifened, and the binding so held will not tear away from the quarter, and the raw edge of the carpet will not be exposed and allowed to meet the stocking.

Instead of using a fibrous binding at the heel, the re-enforce may be enough higher than the quarter to fold over the top of the quarter, and consttute a binding, as shown in Fig. 1, and then the re-enforce stiffens the heel, and presents a smooth surface or binding, non-fibrous, over which the foot moves easily, and the slipper at the heel is given greater strength, and made very durable.

From the edge 8 of the re-enforce d to the vamp, the usual fibrous binding may be used; 01', instead7 I may cut the re-eni'orce so as to consttute a binding for the entire edge of the quarter all the way around, as (lenoted in heavy dotted lines f, Fig. 1, which lines are intended to represent the re-enforce d., with side pieces extended to the vamp, and extending from the line f about the edge of the quarter, the said side picces receivin g stitches at their lower edges, and at the upper edge of the quarter.

When the re-enforce is cut to consttute a binding, the stitches g enter the binding portion, and pass through the same and the quarter.

I claim- The new article of manufacture described, consisting of a slipper having the valnp and quarters composed of carpet, and provided with an external re-enforcing' heel-piece and binding, to strengthen the heel, and pr'event the breaking down and exposure of the raw edge of the carpet, as set forth.

In testimony whereofI have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOHN KNOWLTON. Witnesses G. W. GREGORY, L. H. LATIMER. 

